"Sharpness" and others. Hypersonic weapons for videoconferencing
MiG-31K with the "Dagger" missile - this complex is already on duty
New samples are being developed for the aerospace forces aviation missile systems, incl. hypersonic systems. One complex of this kind has already been put on alert, and new ones are expected to appear in the future. Along with other things weapons, combat aviation will receive the "Ostrota" complex, the development of which became known a few weeks ago.
According to unofficial data
Izvestia reported about the development work of Ostrot in May. From unknown sources, they obtained some technical and organizational data, as well as a work schedule. This information has been published and is of great interest.
It is reported that the head developer of the "Ostrota" complex is the State Medical Design Bureau "Raduga" them. AND I. Bereznyak; The propulsion system of a new type is being created by the Turaev Machine-Building Design Bureau "Soyuz" - both enterprises are part of the Tactical Missile Armament Corporation. While the project is under development.
A new type of hypersonic missile system is intended for use by missile-carrying bombers of front-line and long-range aviation. Su-34 and Tu-22M3 aircraft are named as its carriers. The missile, for which the designation has not yet been chosen, will be smaller and lighter than other Russian-developed hypersonic aviation weapons. Flight performance, guidance method, type and parameters of the warhead were not reported.
The hypersonic flight will be powered by a ramjet engine. This product is created at the Soyuz Design Bureau and bears the working designation Product 71. The design features and characteristics of such a product are unknown.
It is reported that flight tests of the new rocket will begin next year. Further plans of the customer and developers have not been specified. The complexity of the hypersonic direction allows us to assume that testing and fine-tuning the "Ostrota" will take several years. Accordingly, the finished complex will enter service with the Aerospace Forces only in the second half of this decade.
Hypersound for aviation
A new weapon with high flight characteristics is being developed for our military aviation. It is noteworthy and important that the Ostrota complex will no longer be the first model of its class in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces. By the time it appears, there will be at least two hypersonic munitions in the bomber armament range.
The first aviation hypersonic missile system is already in the army. At the end of 2017, the Dagger complex, which includes the MiG-31K carrier aircraft and a new aeroballistic missile, was put on experimental combat duty. According to known data, the "Dagger" rocket develops a speed of at least 10M and is capable of delivering a 500-kg warhead at a distance of over 1000 km.
Start "Dagger"
At the moment, the carrier of the "Dagger" is a modified MiG-31K interceptor. In the future, the modernized long-range bomber Tu-22M3M will be able to carry the new missile. It was also reported about the possibility of its integration into the armament complex of the promising Su-57 fighter.
Not so long ago, in February this year, it became known about the development of another hypersonic missile for aircraft. The product with the code "Gremlin" has been created by the KTRV enterprises since 2018. By the time of the first reports on the project, individual rocket units were tested. In addition, the layout of such a weapon was tested in flight on the suspension of a Su-57 fighter.
The Gremlin rocket receives the Product 70 ramjet engine developed by the Soyuz Design Bureau. The first bench tests of such an engine were planned for the near future. State joint tests of the missile will begin in 2023. It was mentioned that the new missile will be carried by the Tu-22M3 bomber of the latest modification, as well as the Su-57, Su-35S and Su-30SM fighters.
New opportunities
In all likelihood, the Ostrota and Gremlin will be air-to-ground missiles capable of striking stationary or mobile targets. In this capacity, they will complement the existing "Dagger". Their flight range remains unknown, but it can be assumed that it will exceed several hundred kilometers.
The high flight speed of the new missiles, no less than 5-7 M, will provide a modern and promising breakthrough in the enemy's air and missile defense. Modern technologies also make it possible to ensure high accuracy of targeting and high power of the warhead. It is assumed that the missiles of the three types have different ranges. Thanks to this, the blow can be performed using a product that more fully corresponds to the task at hand.
Reportedly, all new samples of hypersonic weapons will be compatible with different carriers. Missiles of three types will enter service with long-range and front-line aviation - and products of the same type can be used to solve different tasks. The use of "Sharpness" or "Gremlin" by a fighter of the Su-30SM or Su-57 type will be distinguished by relative simplicity, and the Tu-22M3M bomber will be able to dramatically increase the overall combat radius of the missile system. It is curious that for the first time in domestic practice, long-range and front-line aviation will receive a common weapon - and with it the well-known advantages associated with unification.
It should be noted that the emergence of new weapons will have a positive effect on the prospects of aircraft. For example, the Tu-22M3 is currently undergoing modernization, due to which the resource is increased and the service life is extended. Its standard weapons are becoming obsolete and will require replacement in the future. With the help of the "Dagger" or "Gremlin" it will be possible to solve this problem.
Tu-22M3M - future carrier of aviation hypersonic missiles
The emergence of "Ostrota" and "Gremlin" will also expand the range of weapons for several types of fighters and bombers. This will increase the potential of front-line aircraft when working against ground targets, bringing it as close as possible to the capabilities of long-range bombers.
The future of videoconferencing
Thus, in a few years, three new missile systems with different characteristics and capabilities will appear in the arsenals of the Aerospace Forces. Products with different parameters and potential, compatible with different carriers, will increase the flexibility of the use of long-range and front-line aviation in solving a wide range of tasks.
However, all the new opportunities and advantages will be obtained only in the distant future. Tests of new missile systems will begin only in 2022-23, and all the necessary measures will be completed in a few more years. Then some time will be spent on the development of production and operation in the army. As a result, all new opportunities will not be available until the middle of the decade.
Overall, however, the situation is conducive to optimism. In the interests of the Aerospace Forces, several new models of hypersonic weapons are being created, and it cannot be ruled out that the following projects of this kind will start in the future. In addition, the hypersonic direction is not limited only to aircraft systems, which in the medium term will seriously change the capabilities of the armed forces as a whole.
- Ryabov Kirill
- Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, PJSC "Tupolev"
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